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It was a beautiful day for sightseeing around downtown Portland. We were a bunch of counselors on our day off, away from the campers, just out for some fun. The weather was perfect for a picnic, so when lunch time came, we set our sights on a small park in town. Since we all had different cravings, we decided to split up, get what each of us wanted, and meet back on the grass in a few minutes.
When my friend Robby headed for a hot dog stand, I decided to keep her company. We watched the vendor put together the perfect hot dog, just the way Robby wanted it. But when she took out her money to pay him, the man surprised us.
“It looks a little on the cool side,” he said, “so never mind paying me. This will be my freebie of the day.”
We said our thanks, joined our friends in the park, and dug into our food. But as we talked and ate, I was distracted by a man sitting alone nearby, looking at us. I could tell that he hadn’t showered for days. Another homeless person, I thought, like all the others you see in cities. I didn’t pay much more attention than that.
We finished eating and decided to head off for more sightseeing. But when Robby and I went to the garbage can to throw away my lunch bag, I heard a strong voice ask, “There isn’t any food in the bag, is there?”
It was the man who had been watching us. I didn’t know what to say. “No, I ate it already.”
“Oh,” was his only answer, with no shame in his voice at all. He was obviously hungry, couldn’t bear to see anything thrown away, and was used to asking this question.
I felt bad for the man, but I didn’t know what I could do. That was when Robby said, “I’ll be right back. Please wait for me for a minute,” and ran off. I watched curiously as she went across to the hot dog stand. Then I realized what she was doing. She bought a hot dog, crossed back to the trash can, and gave the hungry man the food.
When she came back to us, Robby said simply, “I was just passing on the kindness that someone gave to me.”
That day I learned how generosity can go farther than the person you give to. By giving, you teach others how to give also.
这天风和日丽,阳光明媚,正是到波特兰市区游玩的好日子。我们这一群在夏令营中负责管理低年级学生的年轻人这一天刚好休假。我们远离露营者,只是为了出来寻找一些乐趣。这是一个在外面野餐的完美天气,因此,当午饭时间到来的时候,我们把目标锁定在城里的一座小小的公园里。因为我们的口味各不相同,所以,我们决定分头行动,去购买我们自己想吃的食物,然后,再在草地上会合。
当我的朋友罗比向一个卖热狗的摊子走去时,我决定陪她一同前往。我们注视着摊主包好一份完美的热狗;它正是罗比喜欢的那一种。但是,当她掏出钱来准备付帐的时候,他让我们吃了一惊。
“这份热狗好象稍微有点儿凉,”他说,“所以,不用付钱了。这个将成为我今天的免费赠品。”
我们向他道了谢,回到我们在公园里的朋友人们中间,开始吃午餐。当我们一边吃饭一边交谈的时候,一个正独自坐在我们附近、看着我们吃饭的男人引起了我的注意。我敢断定他已经有好几天没有洗过澡了。又是一个无家可归的流浪汉,我想,和你在每座城市里见过的所有流浪汉一样。我对他没有再多加留意。
我们吃完饭以后,决定离开那里去别的地方游玩。但是,当我和罗比一起去垃圾桶那儿把我们的午餐袋扔掉的时候,我听到一个热切的声音问道,“袋子里还有一些食物,对吗?”
说话的正是那个一直在注视着我们吃饭的男人。我不知道该说些什么。“不,我已经把它吃完了。”
“噢,”这是他唯一的回答;他的声音里没有一丝羞耻感。他显然饿极了,因为只要看到有人扔东西,他就忍不住会问这个问题。
我非常同情这个男人,但我不知道我能够做些什么。就在那个时候,罗比说,“我马上就回来。请等我一会儿,”她说完之后,就跑了开去。当她走向那个卖热狗的摊子时,我好奇地注视着她。然后,我意识到她正在做什么了。她买了一份热狗,走回到那个垃圾桶前,递给了那个男人。
当罗比回到我们中间来的时候,她只是简单地说,“我只是把别人对我的好意传递给了另一个人。”
那天,我懂得了一个道理,即,你对别人的好意可以被传递得很远。通过给予,你也教别人懂得了给予。
When my friend Robby headed for a hot dog stand, I decided to keep her company. We watched the vendor put together the perfect hot dog, just the way Robby wanted it. But when she took out her money to pay him, the man surprised us.
“It looks a little on the cool side,” he said, “so never mind paying me. This will be my freebie of the day.”
We said our thanks, joined our friends in the park, and dug into our food. But as we talked and ate, I was distracted by a man sitting alone nearby, looking at us. I could tell that he hadn’t showered for days. Another homeless person, I thought, like all the others you see in cities. I didn’t pay much more attention than that.
We finished eating and decided to head off for more sightseeing. But when Robby and I went to the garbage can to throw away my lunch bag, I heard a strong voice ask, “There isn’t any food in the bag, is there?”
It was the man who had been watching us. I didn’t know what to say. “No, I ate it already.”
“Oh,” was his only answer, with no shame in his voice at all. He was obviously hungry, couldn’t bear to see anything thrown away, and was used to asking this question.
I felt bad for the man, but I didn’t know what I could do. That was when Robby said, “I’ll be right back. Please wait for me for a minute,” and ran off. I watched curiously as she went across to the hot dog stand. Then I realized what she was doing. She bought a hot dog, crossed back to the trash can, and gave the hungry man the food.
When she came back to us, Robby said simply, “I was just passing on the kindness that someone gave to me.”
That day I learned how generosity can go farther than the person you give to. By giving, you teach others how to give also.
这天风和日丽,阳光明媚,正是到波特兰市区游玩的好日子。我们这一群在夏令营中负责管理低年级学生的年轻人这一天刚好休假。我们远离露营者,只是为了出来寻找一些乐趣。这是一个在外面野餐的完美天气,因此,当午饭时间到来的时候,我们把目标锁定在城里的一座小小的公园里。因为我们的口味各不相同,所以,我们决定分头行动,去购买我们自己想吃的食物,然后,再在草地上会合。
当我的朋友罗比向一个卖热狗的摊子走去时,我决定陪她一同前往。我们注视着摊主包好一份完美的热狗;它正是罗比喜欢的那一种。但是,当她掏出钱来准备付帐的时候,他让我们吃了一惊。
“这份热狗好象稍微有点儿凉,”他说,“所以,不用付钱了。这个将成为我今天的免费赠品。”
我们向他道了谢,回到我们在公园里的朋友人们中间,开始吃午餐。当我们一边吃饭一边交谈的时候,一个正独自坐在我们附近、看着我们吃饭的男人引起了我的注意。我敢断定他已经有好几天没有洗过澡了。又是一个无家可归的流浪汉,我想,和你在每座城市里见过的所有流浪汉一样。我对他没有再多加留意。
我们吃完饭以后,决定离开那里去别的地方游玩。但是,当我和罗比一起去垃圾桶那儿把我们的午餐袋扔掉的时候,我听到一个热切的声音问道,“袋子里还有一些食物,对吗?”
说话的正是那个一直在注视着我们吃饭的男人。我不知道该说些什么。“不,我已经把它吃完了。”
“噢,”这是他唯一的回答;他的声音里没有一丝羞耻感。他显然饿极了,因为只要看到有人扔东西,他就忍不住会问这个问题。
我非常同情这个男人,但我不知道我能够做些什么。就在那个时候,罗比说,“我马上就回来。请等我一会儿,”她说完之后,就跑了开去。当她走向那个卖热狗的摊子时,我好奇地注视着她。然后,我意识到她正在做什么了。她买了一份热狗,走回到那个垃圾桶前,递给了那个男人。
当罗比回到我们中间来的时候,她只是简单地说,“我只是把别人对我的好意传递给了另一个人。”
那天,我懂得了一个道理,即,你对别人的好意可以被传递得很远。通过给予,你也教别人懂得了给予。